Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator main body having a storage space to store foods and a machine room to accommodate a part of a refrigerant compression cycle apparatus, a condenser disposed between a bottom surface of the refrigerator main body and a lower surface of the storage space, at least one compressor disposed within the machine room, and a blow fan to form an air passage through which external air passed through the condenser is supplied into the compressor and discharged out of the machine room.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present disclosure relates to subject matters contained in priority Korean Application Nos. 10-2010-0091235 and 10-2010-0091236, filed on Sep. 16, 2010, which are herein expressly incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This specification relates to a refrigerator, and particularly, to a refrigerator having a machine room for accommodating a refrigerant compression cycle apparatus such as a compressor and a condenser.

2. Background of the Invention

In general, a refrigerator includes a plurality of storage spaces for keeping foods therein, and a refrigerant compression cycle apparatus for maintaining the storage spaces in a predetermined temperature range by supplying cold air into the storage spaces. Several components of the refrigerant compression cycle apparatus are disposed in a separate space, namely, a machine room, partitioned from the storage spaces. The machine room is generally located at a lower portion of a rear surface of a refrigerant main body.

The machine room accommodates a compressor to compress a refrigerant, a condenser to condense the compressed refrigerant, a blow fan and the like. For a normal operation of the refrigerant compression cycle apparatus, the inside of the machine room should be maintained within an appropriate temperature range. To this end, external air should continuously be supplied into the machine room, and the supplied external air should be smoothly drawn out.

For the purpose, a machine room for a typical refrigerator has an inlet port for introduction of external air and an outlet port for discharge of air. In addition, the machine room has a blow fan to generate an air flow through the inlet port and the outlet port.

Here, to make air more smoothly flow, a rotation speed (RPM) or size of the blow fan may be increased, but it may cause an increase in power consumption and generation of noise. Hence, it is necessary to optimize an air passage within the machine room such that heat within the machine room can be exhausted smoothly even by use of a small capacity blow fan. Especially, when the number of components are disposed within the machine room, for example, when two compressors are employed within the machine room, the size (capacity) of the machine room should be increased, but it may result in a decrease of a storage space. Consequently, there is a limitation in the increase in the capacity of the machine room. Therefore, air exhaust efficiency is deteriorated due to installation of many components within the limited machine room.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, to overcome those problems of the related art, an aspect of the detailed description is to provide a refrigerator capable of minimizing an increase in a capacity of a machine room and increasing radiation efficiency.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of this specification, as embodied and broadly described herein, a refrigerator may include a refrigerator main body having a storage space to store foods and a machine room to accommodate a part of a refrigerant compression cycle apparatus, a condenser disposed between a bottom surface of the refrigerator main body and a lower surface of the storage space, at least one compressor disposed within the machine room, and a blow fan to form an air passage through which external air passed through the condenser is supplied into the compressor and discharged out of the machine room.

According to the aspect, the condenser may be installed at the bottom surface of the refrigerator main body so as to minimize a space occupied by the condenser. Also, external air may primarily be supplied to the condenser having a relatively large radiation load, thereby improving radiation efficiency.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator may include a refrigerator main body having a refrigerating chamber, a freezing chamber and a machine room, a condenser disposed within the lower portion of the refrigerating chamber or the freezing chamber with facing a ground surface where the refrigerator is installed, a pair of compressors disposed within the machine room along a lateral direction of the refrigerator main body, and a blow fan disposed in series with the pair of compressors, the blow fan allowing introduced external air to pass through the condenser and be discharged out of the machine room via the compressor.

Further scope of applicability of the present application will become more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a lower portion of a rear surface of a refrigerator in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an inside of a machine room in the first exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the inside of the machine room in the first exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a condenser cover included in the first exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the condenser cover;

FIG. 6 is a view showing a lower surface of the first exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a lower portion of a rear surface of a refrigerator in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a rear view showing an inside of a machine room in the second exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 9 is a view showing a lower surface of the second exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Description will now be given in detail of a refrigerator in accordance with the exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of brief description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components will be provided with the same reference numbers, and description thereof will not be repeated.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a refrigerator in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment may include a refrigerator main body 100, which is partitioned into a refrigerating chamber 110, a freezing chamber 120 and a machine room 130, and a refrigeration cycle apparatus 200 having a plurality of components, some of which are installed in the machine room 140.

The refrigerating chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 may be partitioned by a first barrier 131, which is erected within the refrigerator main body 100. The machine room 140 may be located below the refrigerating chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 within a rear side of the refrigerator main body 100.

Here, a lower frame 160 may be installed at the bottom of the refrigerator main body 100.

The machine room 140 may include a first region {circle around (1)} located between the refrigerating chamber 110 and the lower frame 160, and a second region {circle around (2)} located below the refrigerating/freezing chamber 110/120. Here, a lower surface of the refrigerating/freezing chamber 110/120 may be inclined such that its height can be increased towards an upper side at the right side in FIG. 2.

The condenser 220 of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 200 may be disposed in the first region {circle around (1)}, and two compressors 210 may be disposed in parallel in the second region {circle around (2)}.

The refrigerator main body 100 may include an insulation foam 300 for blocking heat transfer from the inner space to the exterior. The insulation foam 300 may be located between the refrigerating chamber 110 or the freezing chamber 120 and an outer surface of the main body 100. Based on a lower portion of the main body 100, the insulation foam 300 may be located between the refrigerating chamber 110 or the freezing chamber 120 and the lower frame 160. The insulation foam 300 may be formed by foaming urethane, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the meantime, the insulation foam 300 located below the refrigerating chamber 110 may be provided with an insertion groove 310 in which the condenser 220 is inserted. The insertion groove 310 may define an approximately rectangular parallelepiped space, in which the condenser 220 may be disposed to face a ground surface of a space where the refrigerator main body 100 is installed. That is, the condenser 220 may be located in the first region {circle around (1)}.

Also, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a condenser cover 400 may be installed at the lower frame 160 where the condenser 220 is located. The condenser cover 400 may open or close an opening 161 formed at the lower frame 160, and be coupled to the lower frame 160 by bolts.

Here, the condenser cover 400 may have a cover body 410 having an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. The cover body 410 may have inclined side walls such that its area is gradually narrowed downwardly in FIG. 2. A plurality of inlet ports 420 may be formed through the side walls.

The inlet ports 420 may include front inlet ports 421 facing a front surface of the refrigerator, namely, a side where doors for opening or closing the refrigerating chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 are disposed, and side inlet ports 422 facing right and left sides of the refrigerator main body 100. Among others, the side inlet ports 422 may not be formed all over the side walls of the cover body 410, but formed only at a first half located at the front (i.e., corresponding front portions of the side walls, which are located close to the front). Accordingly, it is possible to prevent direct introduction of exhaust air present within a rear end region of the refrigerator main body 100, in which the compressors 210 are located, and allow introduced air to evenly flow through the entire surface of the condenser 220.

Consequently, the inlet ports 420 may allow for formation of a passage (a), such that external air at the front of the refrigerator main body 100 can be guided into the condenser 220 via the lower portion of the refrigerator main body 100.

Hereinafter, description will be given of an arranged state of the compressors 210 in the second region {circle around (2)}. First, as shown, the second region {circle around (2)} may communicate with the first region {circle around (1)}.

The second region {circle around (2)} may be shown having two compressors 210 and 212 disposed in parallel in right and left directions of the refrigerator main body 100. The two compressors 210 and 212 may be mounted on the lower frame 160.

Also, the second region {circle around (2)} may be shown having a blow fan 230 mounted at a right side of the compressor 212 (based on FIG. 1). Here, the blow fan 230 may be located below the freezing chamber 120, and fixed onto the lower frame 160.

With the configuration, when the blow fan 230 is run, external air may generate air flow of being introduced into the first region {circle around (1)} through the inlet ports 420, flowing into the second region {circle around (2)} via the condenser 220, and being discharged outside via outlet ports 151 formed at a rear cover 150, which is installed at a rear end of the machine room 140.

Hereinafter, description will be given of an operation of the first exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the condenser and the compressors of the refrigerant compression cycle apparatus 200 in the first exemplary embodiment, as aforementioned, are disposed within the machine room 140 partitioned into the refrigerating chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120. The machine room 140 may be divided into the first region {circle around (1)} and the second region {circle around (2)}. Here, the first region {circle around (1)} may be lower than the second region {circle around (2)} in height, thereby minimizing the capacity occupied by the machine room 140.

Especially, the first region {circle around (1)} is formed similar to the shape of the condenser 220. Hence, the capacity occupied by the machine room 140 can be more reduced as compared to the related art structure that the compressor and the condenser are disposed in the same region.

The condenser 220 may be cooled by external air introduced via the inlet ports 420 of the condenser cover 400, which is installed at the opening 161 of the lower frame 160. That is, the external air introduced into the machine room initially contacts the condenser 220 to exchange heat, accordingly, the condenser 220 having a relatively great heat emission load can be effectively cooled.

When the blow fan 230 is run, external air present at the front of the refrigerator main body 100 flows toward the lower portion of the refrigerator main body 100 and is then introduced into the condenser cover 400 via the inlet ports 420 of the condenser cover 400. This structure allows for introduction of external air present at the front having a relatively low temperature than the rear surface of the refrigerator, thereby more improving heat emission efficiency.

Such external air introduced via the inlet ports 420 of the condenser cover 400 may cool the condenser 220 in the first region {circle around (1)}, and flow into the second region {circle around (2)}. Here, a connected portion between the first region {circle around (1)} and the second region {circle around (2)} may have a shape like a diffuser, which is gradually increased in height. Hence, the external air can be evenly diffused into the second region {circle around (2)}.

The diffused external air may cool the pair of compressors 210 and 212 in a sequential manner. Here, considering heat emission efficiency, a compressor located at the upstream of the air passage may emit heat relatively smoothly. Therefore, a compressor for taking care of a region with a large cooling load, of the compressors, may be disposed at the upstream of the external air flow.

The external air passed through the two compressors in the sequential manner may then flow through the blow fan 230 and thereafter be discharged to the rear side of the refrigerator main body 100 via the outlet portions 151, which are formed through the rear cover 150 covering the machine room 140 at the rear of the refrigerator main body 100.

In the meantime, the present disclosure may not be limited to the aforementioned structure, but also applicable to a structure that the blow fan is located between the two compressors.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a second exemplary embodiment for a refrigerator. For the sake of brief description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components will be provided with the same reference numbers, and description thereof will not be repeated.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment, two compressors 210 and 212 and a blow fan 230 may be disposed within the machine room 140 in the right and left directions of the refrigerator. The blow fan 230 may be located between the two compressors 210 and 212. When the compressors 210 and 212 are spaced apart from each other as shown in the drawings, a tasking space can be ensured upon connecting a refrigerant pipe or the like to the compressors, thereby facilitating an assembly task. The blow fan 230 may be installed after completely assembling the compressors.

A first defrosted water storing container 510 may be installed between the two compressors 210 and 212. The first defrosted water storing container 510 may serve to temporarily collect and store defrosted water generated from an evaporator, which manages cooling of the refrigerating chamber 110. Also, as the first defrosted water storing container 510 is disposed between the two compressors 210 and 212, a space previously ensured by installation of the blow fan 230 can be utilized, and accordingly the capacity of the machine room 140 can be more reduced. Here, the blow fan 230 may alternatively be disposed above the first defrosted water storing container 510.

A second defrosted water storing container 520 for collecting defrosted water generated from an evaporator, which manages cooling of the freezing chamber 120, may further be disposed. The second defrosted water storing container 520 may be located above the compressor 212. A pipe P may be disposed above each of the defrosted water storing containers 510 and 520, so as to guide defrosted water generated from each evaporator into each of the defrosted water storing containers 510 and 520.

The water stored in the respective defrosted water storing containers may contribute to lowering an internal temperature of the machine room. That is, the defrosted water, which is transferred from the evaporators, has a relatively low temperature, so as to lower the internal temperature of the machine room. Also, the defrosted water may partially be evaporated by the external air passed through the machine room, and accordingly adsorb evaporation heat, which results in further lowering the internal temperature of the machine room.

The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. This description is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The features, structures, methods, and other characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined in various ways to obtain additional and/or alternative exemplary embodiments.

As the present features may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator main body having a storage space to store foods and a machine room to accommodate a part of a refrigerant compression cycle apparatus; a condenser disposed between a bottom surface of the refrigerator main body and a lower surface of the storage space; at least one compressor disposed within the machine room; and a blow fan to form an air passage through which external air passed through the condenser is supplied into the compressor and discharged out of the machine room.
 2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the refrigerator main body comprises an insulation foam disposed between the storage space and an outer surface thereof, the condenser being inserted into an insertion groove formed at the insulation foam.
 3. The refrigerator of claim 2, further comprising a condenser cover mounted onto the bottom surface of the refrigerator main body to cover an outside of the condenser.
 4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the condenser cover comprises a plurality of inlet ports for introduction of external air therethrough.
 5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the condenser cover has a rectangular parallelepiped shape having an open surface facing the condenser.
 6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the plurality of inlet ports comprise: front inlet ports formed through a side wall of the condenser cover facing a front surface of the refrigerator; and side inlet ports formed through side walls of the condenser cover facing side surfaces of the refrigerator, wherein the blow fan is disposed at the rear side of the refrigerator main body more than the front and side inlet ports.
 7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the front inlet ports are formed through an entire side wall of the condenser cover facing the front surface of the refrigerator.
 8. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the side inlet ports are formed through a front portion of each side wall of the condenser cover facing the side walls of the refrigerator.
 9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein a pair of compressors are disposed, and the blow fan is disposed between the pair of compressors.
 10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein a defrosted water storing container to collect defrosted water therein is further disposed within the machine room.
 11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the refrigerator main body has a plurality of storage spaces, and the same number of defrosted water storing containers as the number of the storage spaces are disposed within the machine room.
 12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein one of the plurality of defrosted water storing containers is disposed between the pair of compressors.
 13. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein one of the plurality of defrosted water storing containers is disposed above one of the pair of compressors.
 14. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator main body having a refrigerating chamber, a freezing chamber and a machine room; a condenser disposed within a lower portion the refrigerating chamber or the freezing chamber with facing a ground surface where the refrigerator is installed; a pair of compressors disposed within the machine room along a lateral direction of the refrigerator main body; and a blow fan disposed in series with the pair of compressors, the blow fan allowing introduced external air to pass through the condenser and be discharged out of the machine room via the compressors.
 15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the blow fan is disposed between the pair of compressors.
 16. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the pair of compressors and the blow fan are disposed such that the introduced external air is introduced into the blow fan after passing through the pair of compressors.
 17. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein an insulation foam is formed between an outer surface of the refrigerator main body and the refrigerating chamber or the freezing chamber, and the condenser is disposed within an insertion groove formed between a lower surface of the refrigerating chamber or the freezing chamber and the outer surface of the refrigerator main body.
 18. The refrigerator of claim 17, further comprising a condenser cover mounted onto an outside of the insertion groove to cover the condenser.
 19. The refrigerator of claim 18, wherein the condenser cover comprises inlet ports. 